Capturing Latent Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Production

作为温室气体，甲烷的效力是二氧化碳的21倍。天然气工业通过附带排放氮气来产生大量甲烷排放。回收废甲烷将减少温室气体排放，增加天然气加工商的收入。该项目将开发捕获潜在甲烷所需的技术，并显著降低富含氮气的喷口气流中的甲烷浓度。用于分离这些气体的新型吸附剂，如分子陷门沸石，将在广泛的压力和温度范围内进行设计和测试。将使用最好的材料测试双回流变压吸附循环，以演示如何将潜在的甲烷排放减少到百万分之几的水平。

Methane is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. The natural gas industry produces significant methane emissions through collateral venting with nitrogen gas. Recovering waste methane will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the revenue of natural gas processors. This project will develop the technology needed to capture the latent methane and significantly reduce its concentration in nitrogen gas rich vent streams. New adsorbents for separating these gases, such as molecular trapdoor zeolites, will be designed and tested over wide ranges of pressure and temperature. Dual reflux pressure swing adsorption cycles will be tested using the best materials to demonstrate how latent methane emissions can be reduced to part-per-million levels.